Reuters: EU approves the sixth package of sanctions, but expels Patriarch Kirill at Hungaryʼs request

In the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, the European Union lifted restrictions against the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Kirill, in order to "calm down" Budapest. Earlier, Hungary demanded the removal of the patriarch from the sanctions package, otherwise, the country will block the vote.

This was reported by Reuters, citing diplomatic sources.

The diplomat said the deal was finally made possible after 26 countries agreed to exclude the head of the Russiaʼs Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, from the proposed blacklist, in order to "calm down" Budapest.

It is also stated that the sanctions include a partial ban on oil and disconnection of Russiaʼs largest lender Sberbank from the international platform SWIFT.

The sixth sanctions package will take effect on June 3 at 7 am.

• On May 31, European Council President Charles Michel announced that EU leaders had agreed on an oil embargo. The European Union will be able to ban the import of about 2/3 of Russian oil, which it purchased.
• Other important components of the package include the disconnection of Russiaʼs Sberbank from SWIFT, a ban on Russian Rossiya24, TV center International, RTR Planeta and sanctions against Russian citizens and companies involved in war crimes in Ukraine.
• The WSJ writes that a number of members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries are considering excluding Russia from the oil deal due to sanctions. According to experts, even without the decision of the OPEC, Russia will have losses in revenue. The embargo will hit Russia harder than Europe.
• The WSJ also writes that EU sanctions include a ban on insuring ships carrying Russian oil.